When autumn comes round, our apple tree is full of things to eat
And apples hang from every branch to tumble at our feet.
-Our Tree by Marchette Chute

Where the Wild Apples Grow
Chapter Eight: In Which She Starts School

Aunt Esme was in the front seat, Alice in the passenger's side. I was in the back, my brand new backpack leaning against my legs. I was trying to hold onto my sanity by watching all the trees fly past us. I wanted to tell Aunt Esme to slow down, that I wasn't ready to go to school just yet.

Leaving the warmth of the kitchen was probably one of the hardest things I had to do in all of my thirteen – almost fourteen – years. My mother had even gotten out of bed, with her eyes bleary and her pink coffee-stained robe on, to wish me good luck and kiss me on the cheek. I could feel the bones in her back when I hugged her good-bye.

My leg was jumping up and down nervously. My butterflies were much harder to contain than last night.

I was going back to school.

And not just any school.

High school.

Winston High School.

Dad wasn't there.

I was so screwed.

Alice had woken me up at six. I had only gone to sleep two hours before. I was tired, which probably wasn't good for the first day of school. She had brushed my hair with a fury, trying to curl it just right, while I just sat there, numb, trying to process in my mind that I was actually going back to school.

I wasn't ready. No way in hell was I ready for this. How could anybody be ready for this? This was so nerve-wracking. My hands had been shaking. I had hidden them in my lap so that Alice wouldn't see.

When we were finished getting dressed, Alice let me go to do whatever. I ended up going to my room, where I tried not to sob. Or hyperventilate.

Though I had promised myself I wouldn't, I got out the bracelet that Dad had gotten me for my thirteenth birthday. My lucky bracelet. I hid it under the sleeve of my white sweater, so that I wouldn't randomly cry at the sight of it all day.

I tugged back the sleeve now though, trying to gather strength from the brown and green charms – my two favorite colors.

"Ooh! Bella! I'm so excited! It'll be so great seeing everyone again after this long break. I'll get to see Jasper everyday! You will be sitting with us, right, Bella?" Alice suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.

"Yeah. Sure." I sounded breathless.

Alice turned around to look at me in concern. Aunt Esme glanced at me through the rearview mirror.

"Are you okay, Bella? You sound sick."

"I'm fine."

"Really? You don't look fine either."

Honestly? I felt queasy. "Really. I'm fine. Just a little nervous."

"Yeah, I remember my first day of high school." Alice sighed. "I think I puked. But it turned out alright."

Thanks for the encouragement. No, really. It's really helping my self-esteem.

Aunt Esme playfully slapped Alice. "You're not helping the poor girl, Al. Maybe some music will help." She raised her eyebrows at her.

"Right! I think a little of Britney would do for some empowerment."

I opened my mouth to protest, but Alice pushed some buttons, turned the volume up high, so she couldn't hear me. Not that she would listen anyway.

Alice sang along with every word.

"Boy don't try to front, I-I know jus-just what you ah-ah-re. Nothing but a womanizer!"

I slunk down in my seat. This really wasn't how I pictured my first day of high school.

"Eep! Bella! We're almost here!" Alice called over the loud music.

My heart started beating faster, until it felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. I glanced out the window. I tugged nervously at my sweater and wished that I hadn't worn something quite so restricting.

And slowly the car came to a stop. As I straightened up out of my slouch, I saw what seemed hundreds of kids hugging, kissing, and laughing with each other, catching up from over summer break. Some were already heading towards the front entrance of the school.

When Alice got out of the car, Britney Spears still blasting, lots of heads turned to look.

And a huge herd of people rushed over.

I heard Alice laughing as she shut the door behind her, waving at me to hurry up. She started walking away.

I didn't want to leave.

And then the music turned off, and it was suddenly quiet.

"It'll be okay, Bella." Aunt Esme turned around and patted my leg.

I gulped, and looked at her, panicked.

"Alice will be there to help you," she reminded me.

I unbuckled my seat belt.

"'Atta girl." She smiled. "Now come give Aunt Esme a hug, and then you can leave." She held out her arms, and I slid forward and hugged her. I breathed in her nice vanilla perfume, and felt my heart slow down a little.

She pulled back. "Your dad would be so proud to see you now." She got tears in her eyes as she said it.

"Really?" I choked.

"Yes, really." She wiped a few stray tears of mine away. "Now go out there and play nice with the other kids, okay?" She softly patted my hair, and I began to feel some courage that let me stand up and get out of the car.

"See you later, Aunt Esme."

"Bye, my Bella," she called and put her sunglasses on.

And I closed the door.

And watched as the car screeched good-bye.

And then I suddenly felt all my courage melt away.

I looked nervously at the front doors of Winston High. People stood in small and large crowds on the surrounding front steps. I swallowed my extra spit anxiously, not sure how to approach. Normally, I had a small group of friends that I entered with, but they had been left behind when I moved here.

I kind of wished that I had them now.

I wrapped a hand rightly around a backpack strap, which was casually slung around one shoulder. Looked back to where Alice was, surrounding by all her bunches of friends. Looked at the door, where my doom awaited me. I fiddled with my bracelet uncertainly.

And then I felt a hand abruptly fall heavily on my shoulder.

I yelped and turned around.

A large form towered over me. I blinked up, and I recognized Emmett. His tattoo was showing.

"Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to startle you." He smiled charmingly.

I nodded, and I felt eyes all over me. I was too scared to see who.

"Do you need some help?" he asked after I didn't say anything.

"Yes, please." I said gratefully.

He chuckled. "Alright, freshman. Follow me."

I allowed a half-smile to cross my face as I followed him up the stares. I saw a couple other girls, who looked to be my age, staring at me and whispering. I flushed and hurried to catch up with Emmett.

There was an even larger crowd in the lobby.

It smelled like first-day-of-school, where everything was freshly cleaned and mopped and everything. That smell had always freaked me out. But it freaked me out even more, because the lobby had a look that screamed This is high school. We are here to kill you. Have a nice day. Hope you enjoy the smell of our cleaning supplies.

"Hurry up, freshie." I looked to see where Emmett had gone, and hurried to catch up with him. He led me over to a table that had three lines. He led me to the third line, and he moved over to the second one.

"These lines are to get your schedules and your map. I just need my schedule. They're organized by alphabetization," he explained.

I nodded at him. "Thanks," I said.

"No prob…freshie."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

Emmett cracked a smile, but then got distracted by some other guys coming up to him.

My time with the famous senior was over. I felt a little relieved.

The girl in front of me turned around, smiling. She had dark, wavy hair with big black eyes – though I supposed they were really a dark brown – and was on the short side.

"Hi, I'm Jessica. Jessica Stanley." She held out her hand. It was very tan.

"Isabella Swan. Just call me Bella though." I took her hand and shook it quickly. I felt pale as a ghost next to her.

"New, right? I don't remember you from eighth grade." She smiled friendlily.

"Yeah, I'm new."

She leaned in a little close to me. "How'd you get Emmett McCarty to talk to you?"

"Oh, well, um…" I stuttered, a little overwhelmed at the sudden intenseness.

"Jessica!" somebody screeched from behind me.

"Lauren!" Jessica screeched back. She held out her arms, and I moved just in time to avoid getting run over.

They jumped up and down, laughing and giggling. Lauren's long blonde hair flew up in my face. I coughed when it got in my mouth.

The girls hugged each other, managing to bump into a few people. They looked back at them, annoyed, but they barely noticed. The line had also not moved an inch. What were those people DOING up there, exactly?

"Oh my god! It's been so long since the last time I saw you!"

"You grew out your layers? Oh, and are those high lights I see? My, my, someone has started to grow up –"

"Yeah, I got them dyed at this place my mom goes too. But you got a nice summer tan. How was Miami?"

"Just fabulous…"

And they blabbered on, not noticing when the line finally moved up a couple of inches.

I felt that familiar shyness creep into my stomach. How could I tell them to move?

"Hey, could you girls get a move on?" an annoyed voice called from the back of the line.

"Whatever, loser!" Lauren said and they moved up the obligatory few steps.

I was glad I hadn't said anything, when the two suddenly set their sights on me.

"Oh, and who is this?" Lauren narrowed her blue eyes at me. I felt my stomach drop.

"That's Isabella Swan. She's new," Jessica eagerly explained. I opened my mouth to correct to her, but Lauren started talking.

"Hmm." She eyed me over. I kind of felt like a slug. "Well, hi. I'm Lauren Mallory."

I nodded in greeting.

"You could say something back," she snapped.

"Hello," I said quietly.

"So, where ya from?" Lauren asked.

"Yeah, where are you from?" Jessica echoed.

"I'm from Arizona," I said.

Their eyes widened. "How exotic. Is it really hot there?" Jessica asked.

Obviously, she wasn't the brightest crayon in the box.

I nodded.

"Did you have a pool in your back yard? I heard from my cousin who heard from her friend that practically everyone has a pool in their backyard." Lauren's eyes bored into mine.

I looked nervously between the two of them, wondering how to conduct this

conversation, when –

"Hey, Bella." a familiar voice called. I looked to see who.

Edward.

I blushed hotly and waved shyly at him. He smiled at me and continued walking wherever.

Lauren and Jessica looked at me with utter shock on their faces: jaws dropped, eyes bugging, not blinking. Or breathing.

"Could you guys please move up?" the person behind me asked.

The slowly turned around and walked up a few more steps.

"You know Edward Cullen?" Jessica screeched.

"How the fuck did you manage that?" Lauren demanded.

"You're only a freshman!"

"How the hell do you know him?"

"You just moved here!"

"She also knows Emmett," Jessica whispered.

Lauren glanced wide-eyed at the person himself, standing a few feet away. "No way."

"Yeah, she was just talking to him," Jessica argued.

I swallowed and fiddled with my bracelet, while they went on and on and on.

"Seriously, Isabella. How do you know those guys?"

Then we were at the front of the line, thank god.

"Jessica Stanley," she said to the person handing out schedules. They dutifully went through the large stack and handed Jessica hers.

"Lauren Mallory."

"You're supposed to be in the other line."

"Can't you just give me my schedule? I made a mistake. The line is huge." Lauren gave a little pout, and the person rolled his eyes.

"Can you get Mallory, Lauren?" he asked the person next to him.

"Isn't she supposed to be in this line?" she asked.

"Yes. Can you just do it?" he grumbled. My eyebrows lifted in surprise.

She sighed, dug through, and handed it to him. He handed it to Lauren, who smiled and stood to the side with Jessica.

"Swan, Isabella, please."

"You're the first one to say please," he said wryly as he dug through the stacks. "Do you need a map?"

I nodded.

"Here you go, sweetie. Isabella." He smiled and handed a packet and the map to me. I moved to the side, where Jessica and Lauren were.

"How'd you get a map?" Lauren asked.

"He asked me if I wanted one," I said.

"Huh."

"Let's compare schedules!" Jessica cried.

"Hope we get homeroom together." Lauren commented.

They both closed their eyes, while I watched, trying to keep from puking from nerves.

"One, two, three. OPEN!" The ripped open the packet and pulled out their schedule.

"Who'd you get for homeroom?"

"Mead. You?"

"Nicholson. Damn. Second?"

"I have Spanish I."

"Me too!"

The high-fived each other. "Score!"

I leaned against the wall, a little away from them and opened my own schedule.

Hmm. Mead for homeroom. Great. I had to start the day off with Jessica.

Spanish I. Fantastic. Two classes in a row. Algebra. English. Lunch. Science. World Regions – fancy name for social studies. P.E. And then…Drama.

DRAMA?

I did NOT sign up for that. There must be some kind of mistake. Distressed, I looked around for someone that I could complain to.

"Who'd you get for homeroom, Isabella?" Jessica asked, interrupting my desperate search for someone resembling an administrator. Lauren looked on with vaguely interested eyes.

"I got Mead too."

Jessica squealed, and I resisted the urge to cover my ears. As it was, I did flinch.

"Hey, do you want to get there early, and get a good seat near the back?" she asked, smiling.

"Uhh…" I glanced at the two nervously. It would be nice to enter with someone…and maybe make a few friends. "Sure. Do you guys know how to get there?"

"Yeah, I got a tour over the summer." Jessica grabbed my hand, and with the other took Lauren's. So much for personal space. "I know where everything is."

He palm was slightly sweaty and warm, but I held my tongue.

She started to take us down one hallway, but, again, another hand fell on my shoulder. However, this hand was familiar. Alice.

"Hey, Bella," Alice's cheerful voice said.

Lauren and Jessica stared at me with wide-eyes. Right then, I sort of wished Alice wasn't there.

"Do you need any help getting to your classes?" she asked, ignoring the other two.

"Oh, that's okay Alice. She has us," Jessica burst out. Lauren not-so-subtly slapped her stomach. "We're helping her."

Alice looked at them and smiled.

They blushed.

Wow.

"So you'll be okay with those two, right?"

I nodded, unsure.

"Alright, see you at lunch." Alice patted my shoulder and went back with her friends.

Jessica started dragging us down the hall again.

"How the hell do you know all these people? And especially Alice Brandon! I bet next Rosalie Hale is going to come up and offer to take you on a shopping trip!"

They both looked at me expectantly.

"Alice is my cousin." I shrugged, trying to ignore their burning stares.

"Okay, you are so going to get us in," Lauren said, wiping her mouth with lip gloss.

"In where?"

"You know…in. With the Popular Kids."

"Yeah, you know all of them," Jessica explained as if I was dumb.

Lauren and Jessica high fived each other.

My first day of high school, and I'm already being used.

Great.

After we – that is, Jessica and I, not Lauren – found Mr. Mead's room, practically all the hallways were empty and the bell was one minute away from ringing. I sighed. First day of school and already late. I wondered if this would happen to me every day, and if I would have to walk with Jessica every morning.

The thought made me cringe.

I sternly told myself to be grateful for Jessica's help and that she was willing to show me around, but it was hard with her high voice grating on my ears. And the fact that she brought up Alice about every five minutes wasn't helping much either.

Luckily, when we finally arrived at Mr. Mead's, he wasn't all that bothered that we were late.

"Freshmen," he said, "never know where they're going."

I nodded and took a seat near the front because all the other ones were taken. Jessica had to sit two rows back from me, and she made her displeasure known by some extreme pouting. I sighed.

"Alright class. I am Franklin Mead – not meat, feed, or feet. Mead. I will be your homeroom teacher for the rest of your freshmen year. Lucky you." He glanced pointedly at me, and I flushed. A couple people chuckled.

"I am sure you are all eager to get your locker assignments and combinations" - cue excited squeals, while I thought we have lockers? - "but I have to go through school rules first!"

Groans.

"Yes, rules are essential for high living, as you will find out this year and later in life." He glanced across the room at everyone. They shifted in their seats, while I watched my desk, a little unimpressed. "Normally, this is a fifteen minute period, but as it is the first day of school and we are getting everything situated – and of course, there are those rules we have to go over – this class will be forty-five minutes long, and your other classes will be shortened to twenty minutes…"

That's when I turned Mr. Mead out. I leaned my head against my hand, tired, bored, and, though it was a weird emotion to feel, jaded.

I traced the lines of my desk for a while, until a small smack to my arm made me jump.

"Excuse me," the girl next to me whispered. "Sorry for hitting you, but we have to get out a folder, a piece of paper, and a writing utensil."

I nodded at her in thanks.

I leaned over and got out my backpack from underneath my seat.

"Hey," the girl whispered again, "I'm sorry if I hurt you, but it looked like you spaced."

I half-smiled and got out the essentials.

"I'm Angela Webber," she introduced herself.

She looked at me, clearly expecting me to answer.

"Isabella Swan," I replied. "Just call me Bella."

Angela smiled, and Mr. Mead called the class to attention.

"Alright, before we do all the boring stuff, I want you to write a paragraph telling me about yourself. Make it interesting; don't start off with 'My name is…' and the rest. Make it zesty."

"Did he seriously just say zesty?" Angela giggled at me.

I shrugged. "I guess."

Angela giggled again, but stopped when Mr. Mead gave her a look.

I looked down at the blank piece of paper, clicking the pen nervously. I wrote down my name at the top, along with the date: September 2, 2009, and then wrote Mead in capital letters below that.I bit my lip anxiously, wondering how to start.

Hmmm…

I was born on a Friday the thirteenth, which, I suppose, makes me an unlucky kid. It was September, and a heat wave was happening in the desert that was Phoenix, Arizona. My mother wasn't expecting me this early – I actually had a due date in November…

And from there, it was surprisingly easy to write. I had practically written my life story – I was named after Isabella Rossellini and my grandma Marie and at seven I wanted to be a baker – when Mr. Mead asked for the papers to be picked up.

I had written a full page, and some on the back.

"An over-achiever, are we?" the boy who had been picked to get all the papers inquired. He had pretty blue eyes and spiky blonde hair.

I shrugged, blushed, and handed him the paper.

Angela stared wide-eyed at me.

"Geesh, Bella. I barely wrote three sentences."

I didn't know how to respond to that without sounding rude. Or stupid.

"Good job class. You just finished your first high school assignment." He applauded. "Now, let's talk about those rules…"

Alright, I decided to stop there because this chapter was getting too long. I actually have split it up into two parts, but the next part still needs to be edited and such. (: The next chapter will include the rest of Bella's first day of school and the aftermath.

cullenlovesyouu: It's going to be a journey until Edward and Bella get together. And remember – they only just met. Lots of teenaged angst coming your way.